Talking about death isn't something we like to do. Even thinking about it can be anxiety-inducing. Yet aside from birth, death is the only other experience we're all guaranteed to share. So, why is it so difficult to talk about?
Before our time, death wasn't a dreaded topic of discussion. Lower life expectancies in the 19th century made death so commonplace that it was readily embraced as part of the natural cycle of life. Dying was a process, one that was planned for and accepted much more readily than we do today.
Though it might seem a little morbid, one of the best ways to prepare for our final departure is to think about death and plan for it accordingly. For example, did you know that more than 2.8 million Americans died in 2017? A marked increase from the 70,000+ who passed away in 2016.
Moreover, the latest reports on mortality released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that heart disease, cancer, unintentional injuries, chronic lower respiratory disease, and stroke remained the leading causes of death in the U.S.
Top 10 Causes of Death In the US
For the sake of planning and being well-informed, let's go over this list in detail:
1. Heart Disease
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States (and worldwide). About 610,000 people die of heart disease in the U.S. every year—that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.
The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type of heart disease in the U.S. is coronary artery disease, which affects the blood flow to the heart and can cause a heart attack. Other cardiovascular diseases include stroke, high blood pressure, angina (chest pain), and rheumatic heart disease.
Heart disease is most common among men, smokers, people who are overweight or obese, have a history of heart disease in their family, and people over the age of 55.
2. Cancer
The second leading cause of death in the U.S. are malignant neoplasms, also known as cancer. In 2016, 598,038 people died of cancer, 43% more than in 1980.
According to the National Cancer Institute, the most common cancers are breast cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, prostate cancer, colon and rectum cancer, melanoma of the skin, bladder cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, endometrial cancer, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer.
Each type of cancer has a specific set risk of factors, but some are common among multiple types. These risk factors include age, smoking, sun or radiation exposure, chronic inflammation, obesity, and history of cancer in the family.
3. Accidents (Unintentional Injuries)
Unintentional injuries are now the third-leading cause of death in the U.S. According to the latest reports, a total of 161,374 people died from unintentional, preventable injuries in 2016.
Accidents lead to more than 28 million emergency room visits each year. Car crashes, falls, fires and burns, drowning, poisonings, and suffocations are just some of the causes of accident-related deaths.
4. Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases
Chronic lower respiratory diseases affect the lungs and include such illnesses as chronic obstructed pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema, asthma, chronic bronchitis, and other respiratory conditions.
154,596 people died of chronic lower respiratory diseases in 2016, making these the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.
Smoking is the primary cause of respiratory diseases, accounting for 80 percent of all cases. Exposure to air pollutants in the home or at the workplace, genetic factors, and respiratory infections can also play a role in the development of a chronic lower respiratory disease.
5. Stroke (Cerebrovascular Diseases)
Stroke has dropped from the nation’s fourth-leading cause of death to the fifth. Still, 142,142 people died of a stroke in 2016.
A stroke occurs when something blocks the blood supply to a part of the brain or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. In either case, parts of the brain become damaged or die. A stroke can cause lasting brain damage, long-term disability or death.
Strokes are more common among men, women using birth control, smokers, and people with diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease.
6. Alzheimer’s Disease
Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States. It kills more than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. A total of 116, 103 people died of Alzheimer’s in 2016.
Scientists believe that many factors influence when Alzheimer’s disease begins and how it progresses. However, one of the most important risk factors is increasing age. About one-third of all people age 85 and older may have Alzheimer’s disease.
Doctors also believe that a combination of a person’s genes, lifestyle, and environment impacts the brain over time.
7. Diabetes
Diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the U.S. In 2016 there 80,058 deaths associated with the condition. However, a new study suggests that diabetes-related mortality is far underreported and may actually be the third-leading cause of death in the United States.
Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes) or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces (type 2 diabetes).
Type 1 diabetes is more commonly diagnosed in people with a family history of the disease, children between ages 4 and 7, and people living in climates farther away from the equator. Type 2 diabetes is more common among people who are overweight or obese, adults over the age of 45, and people who have a family history of diabetes.
8. Influenza & Pneumonia
There were 51,537 deaths due to pneumonia and influenza in 2016. Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection and one of the most severe illnesses of the winter season. The virus is spread easily from person to person, usually when someone infected coughs or sneezes.
Pneumonia, on the other hand, is a severe infection or inflammation of the lungs.
Both diseases are more common among children, the elderly, people with chronic health conditions, and pregnant women.
9. Kidney Disease (Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome, Nephrosis)
Kidney disease is the 9th leading cause of death in the U.S. The term kidney disease refers to three primary conditions:
- nephritis
- nephrotic syndrome
- nephrosis
Kidney inflammation or nephritis can result from an infection, a medication or an autoimmune disorder. Nephrotic syndrome is a condition that causes your kidneys to produce high levels of protein in your urine, resulting in kidney damage.
In 2016, there were a total of 50,046 deaths related to one of these conditions.
Kidney disease is most common among people with chronic conditions (diabetes, high blood pressure), smokers, people who are overweight or obese, and those with a family history of kidney disease.
10. Suicide (Intentional Self-Harm)
Suicide was the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, which claimed the lives of 44,965 people in 2016.
Based on recent surveys, suicide rates are on the rise. Suicide was the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages 10 and 34 and the fourth leading cause of death among people between the ages of 35 and 54.
The highest suicide rates in the U.S. are among whites, American Indians and Alaska Natives. Also, suicide among males is 4 times higher than among females.
According to Save.org African American, Latino, Native American, and Asian American people who are lesbian, gay, or bisexual attempt suicide at exceptionally high rates.
Preparing for Death - The Gift of Life Insurance
Admittedly, death can be hard, especially for those who remain behind to deal with its consequences. One way to ease the anxiety of end-of-life is to plan ahead and rethink death as a process we can prepare for with the love and support of our dearest and nearest.
Why You Need It
While it's probably not something you want to think about, you can make things a lot easier on yourself and your family if you prepare for your death before it happens. Of course, no one can see into the future to determine how long they'll live, but getting one's affairs in order while in good health is never a bad idea.
Besides your last will and testament, two of the most important things you should have in place are life insurance and a retirement plan. You shouldn't go through life without either, especially if you have people who depend on your financially.
Life insurance isn't just about covering your salary after you die, it’s about helping your family pay for funeral costs, mortgage and credit card payments, and even day-to-day expenses. In a nutshell, life insurance can be your family’s primary source of financial protection.
If you are a parent, spouse or caregiver, consider purchasing sufficient life insurance coverage to replace your income and any other expenses your family might have a hard time covering in your absence. You should also consider life insurance if you have debts that will fall on someone else after your passing.
The amount of life insurance your purchase should respond to your family's financial needs. If you can, give your loved ones some financial leeway by leaving them a death benefit that equals at least ten times your income. That would give them 10 years of financial protection as well as time to cope with your absence and get back on their feet.
Talking About Death - Communicating Your Plan to Friends and Family
In the United States, death and dying aren’t popular topics of conversation. However, discussing how we feel about death and how we've prepared for it with our children and immediate family can reduce anxiety about the future and encourage them to develop empathy for those who have experienced loss.
“We need to talk to our children about death and dying and we need to talk amongst ourselves openly about grieving."
–Atalanta Beaumont, former psychotherapist.
According to anthropologist and professor Anita Hannig, speaking openly about death through a cross-cultural framework relieved her student’s anxieties about death, along with her own. Additionally, studying how other cultures navigate death allowed them to see there is a variety of possible responses to the end of life.
Just as we find it difficult to talk about death, many find it hard to talk about life insurance with their friends and family. Though it might seem hard and even awkward, having this conversation sooner rather than later can give your loves ones some much-needed peace of mind.
Remember that the point of life insurance is to provide financial stability for those you leave behind. If you have a loved one who doesn’t have life insurance and refuses to discuss it, help them understand the importance of having the best coverage, especially if they have young children. Don’t be afraid to bring up the subject; be bold and take matters into your own hands. As Jung put it, if we want to overcome death, we must enliven it.